Agency In Nassarawa Trains MDAs On PPP To Address Infrastructure Deficit

Nasarawa State Investment Development Agency (NASIDA), has begun a two-day training for Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) on a new Public Private Partnership (PPP) framework, aimed at addressing infrastructure deficit in the state.

Speaking during the capacity building workshop in Lafia, the state capital, Managing Director of NASIDA, Mr Ibrahim Abdullahi, said that the training was meant to empower MDAs with knowledge and tools to drive PPP for sustainable development in Nasarawa State.

The managing director was represented by the Head, Infrastructure Finance and PPP Team Lead of the agency, Mrs Mayowa Edgar, pointed out that the stakeholders’ engagement would enable them to better understand the newly developed PPP manual and framework and to cascade same to others in order to properly do PPP for the benefit of the state.

Abdullahi explained that NASIDA had been implementing PPP as enshrined its establishment law since 2020, to mitigate infrastructure deficit and help accelerate development in the state.

The MD, however, said that the agency identified some gaps in the delivery of the PPP in the state at the course of overseeing and implementing PPP initiatives.

“So, in 2024, with the support of UK Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (UKNiAF), we were able to develop some frameworks to mitigate those gaps and strengthen PPP in the state.

” We developed the Nasarawa State Public Private Partnership Manual, Nasarawa State Public Private Partnership Fiscal Commitment and Contingent Liabilities (FCCL) framework as well as a disclosure portal.

“All these documents are geared towards strengthening PPPs in Nasarawa State and enhancing the State’s action for business enabling reforms,” he noted.

Also speaking at the event, Project Manager, Infrastructure Finance, UKNiAF, Mr Ron Sircar, appreciated Nasarawa State government and other stakeholders for the partnership in the project of developing the PPP documents.

Sircar said that the implementation of PPP using the new framework had resulted in stronger competitive bids, more efficient outcomes and actual movement towards ongoing PPP success in the state.

He maintained that Nasarawa State had taken the lead in PPP through the project and expressed hope that the gains would trickle down to other interesting states and bodies.

Olusola Akintonde